Theft at Work

Employee theft refers to the wrongful taking of money, goods, or property by an organization member. The target is most commonly the organization itself, but the definition also encompasses stealing from coworkers or customers. The psychological literature on employee theft focuses on money and physical goods, although the definition also encompasses intellectual property.

Theft is one example of a broader phenomenon, commonly known as counterproductive work behavior (CWB). CWB includes any intentional behavior by an organization member that is viewed by the organization as contrary to its legitimate interests. Theft, sabotage, misuse of time and resources, unsafe behavior, drug and alcohol use at work, physical violence, and sexual harassment are all examples of CWB. After a long history of examining each of these separately, recent research ...